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Nigerian senators earn more than Donald Trump, UK PM —Oyebola

The Initiator and Chairman, Movement for
Nigeria’s Total Transformation, Chief Areoye Oyebola, has decried the
non-responsiveness of Nigerian federal lawmakers to the widespread call for the
downward review of their “monumental salaries and allowances”.

According to
Oyebola, the recent criticism of the federal legislators by the Chairman of the
Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption, Prof. Itse Sagay (SAN), was
just one of many criticisms that had trailed the lawmakers over the years but
to which they had turned deaf ears.

He recalled
that he had raised the same issue in a publication, tagged, “Grave Issues
Nigeria Must Tackle,” which was publicly presented at a gathering that had in
attendance eminent Nigerians such as a former Lagos State Governor, Babatunde
Fashola(SAN); human rights lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN); and Prof. Pat Utomi.

Oyebola had,
in the presentation, decried what he described as the insensitivity of the
lawmakers, who he said, were living large in the midst of widespread poverty in
the country.

He noted
then that the earnings of the United States of America’s President were far
lower than what a Nigerian lawmaker took home.

He had said,
“It is also strange, unthinkable and very disheartening that a senator, not
minding the grinding poverty of Nigerians, earns $1.7m a year, which is far
higher than the $400,000 yearly income of the United States’ President, whose
stupendous country is the richest in the world. Even a member of the House of
Representatives also earns more than the American President. What a tragic and
pathetic situation!

“Worse
still, each of our National Assembly members earns more than the British Prime
Minister, while the pay of a member of Ghana’s unicameral legislature is a very
small fraction of our House of Representatives’ member jumbo pay of more than
N10m in a month, let alone the monumental quarterly allowances that have led to
serious public outcry.

“The
multi-million naira earned by the leadership of the Senate and the House of
Representatives even worse, more outrageous and mind-boggling.”

Oyebola
noted that despite their modest pay, compared to the Nigerian federal
lawmakers, the legislators in Ghana worked harder and “have minimal
absenteeism,” while they had also done much to sustain their country’s
democracy, “which is a model for many African countries.”

He said the
Ghanaian lawmakers were also more sensitive to the realities in their country,
recalling that an attempt by them to have a raise in earnings in 2009 was
immediately jettisoned following a public outcry.

Oyebola
called for a 90 per cent cut in the earnings of Nigerian elected public
officials, saying with that they would still be richer than their counterparts
in the US and the UK.

He said, “As
suggested below, for the National Assembly, the President, ministers, state
governors, state legislators, chairmen of local governments and councillors
should have their pay and allowances reduced to 10 per cent of their present
earnings. If effected, each senator’s present earnings of N15m a month will be
reduced to N1.5m or N18m a year. A similar 90 per cent reduction should be
effected from the pay of members of the House of Representatives.”

According to
him, this is the only way to ensure that politics would no longer be a matter
of do-or-die.

The federal
government through the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has apologised
to Air Peace Airlines and its passengers after a herd of cattle strayed onto
the runway of Akure Airport in Ondo state.

Nigerian
football star Victor Moses scored on his 209th Premier League appearance as
Chelsea put behind them their recent struggles by thrashing West Bromwich
Albion 3-0 at the Stamford Bridge on Monday.

Do you use Startimes decoder and you are asking how to recharge your Startimes decoder using your phone with you Gtbank account, then you are in the right place. I will be showing you, or rather teaching you how you can recharge your Startimes decoder or rather pay for your Startimes subscription using your GTbank account with your mobile phone in 2017, be it Nokia torch light or any non-smartphone.

The Special
Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Social Media, Lauretta Onochie has
responded to the claims that the Tsaigumi commissioned in Kaduna during the
week, was first launched by ex-president Goodluck Jonathan in 2013.